FLOATING WETLANDS
FLOATING ISLAND
Floating Wetlands, Floating Reedbeds, Floating Island or Biofloats
in three typical solutions
All Natural with 100% organic components
Floating Island with 100% organic materials have a long tradition in human history and go back to ancient settlements when farming started. In fact, there are examples even from the Maya civilization. Today such islands are still common in Asian cultures but also in Europe. However, Europeans see synthetic materials critical in aquatic environments.
Synthetic combined with organic components
This is a technique where synthetic floating and carrier materials create buoyancy. Certainly, it is a modern solution but not very innovative because synthetics / plastics can breakdown in an extreme harsh aquatic environment. Also, synthetic / plastic production depends on natural energy resources like oil what makes their carbon footprint larger. Such solution we often see in North America and China.
Natural with organic and mineral components
Natural or man-made mineral components are the basis for real innovative floating islands. In combination with organic materials, these island create a lasting platform for nature, nature combined with Solar Panels, piers, and even houses. Furthermore, ambitious ideas go further and picture floating farms to combat rising sea levels. The floating materials are either natural origin or recycled mineral origin from urban waste streams.
BIODIVERSITY
For example, in Europe alone more than 50% of habitats and more than 50% of species are in threat. Hence, we all see the global loss of biodiversity, because it is everywhere the same scenario. Additionally, amphibious habitats are among the most productive and diversified habitats in the world with very high Carbon sequestration. Floating Wetlands protect, extend, and newly create such habitats.
VISUAL ASPECT
Because biofloats, floating reedbeds are always embedded in various ecosystems, they fulfill aesthetic aspects of the landscape due to the great diversity and variety of flowers. Especially valuable in environments where certain species are threaten or even vanished.
Floating islands naturally soften the man-made hard dividing lines between land and water.
WATER PURIFICATION
Floating wetlands are #1 when it comes to improving the water quality. Through the biological processes in the root system of the plants they utilized the nutrients from the water and from microbiological activity within the island. In estuaries it can be combined with e.g. Oyster beds to increase this cleaning effect with payback.
Enjoy the video from Ökon Vegetationstechnik GMBH / Vegetation Technology and AquaFlora. Moreover, they stand for world-class leading solutions in natural hydraulic engineering and floating ecosystems with partners in Europe, U.K., and North America.
Of course, Green Roof Technology will help you in consulting and sourcing Floating Wetlands where ever you are. Because we prefer certified components, they are technically safe. All materials are easy to use and allow a sustainable and resilient development of plants. Biodiversity in particular is in our focus.
Buoyancy from Floating Islands
The buoyancy system of Floating Islands is very complex, yet very natural because the stalks and leaves of the plants have a distinctive system of air ducts. As a result, the individual plants or the entire plant population are lighter than water and float on the surface. At the same time, the weight of the developing above ground leaf mass pushes the bandage into the water. The greater displacement increases the buoyancy again. The basal zone of the reedbed, which is crucial for the vitality and renewal of a reedbed, is a few centimeters /inches under water.
This location is ideal for the development of plants as well as for wave damping. Due to the buoyancy, the weight that presses into the water through the anchoring and dead biomass is absorbed. In order to reliably ensure buoyancy at all times, reed islands are equipped with additional, technical buoyancy bodies.
With the friendly support by ÖKON GmbH and AquaFlora
